Danger Zone
by KeepMeGoing365
Summary: They all know the risks of their jobs, but they also know that they have to hope for the best even in the face of the worst.
1. Dark

Chapter One: Dark

It is dark, damp, and cold.

The crew of Station 51 had been sent out to an old, condemned building where it was reported some mischievous kids may have been trapped in a partial collapse.

Upon their arrival, Captain Hank Stanley had sent Kelly and Lopez to check one section of the building while he Gage and DeSoto went through the other, leaving Mike outside with an HT.

The building really had looked unstable and Cap couldn't for the life of him determine what would possess any being with even the _smallest_ amount of common sense and self-preservation to venture into the structure if they didn't have to do so.

Yet, there he was, having to send his men in to fix other people's stupidity.

And from there, it had all very quickly gone to hell in a handbasket.

Just as he, Roy, and John had heard faint shouts for help from a basement and they had climbed down a ladder to reach them, everything had shifted and collapsed again.

Somewhere in the chaos that followed, they had thrown themselves over the two young children, which led to the current predicament:

Johnny had been rendered unconscious—likely due to debris striking his head—and Roy's shoulder was likely broken from all appearances.

Looking around now he realizes that, miraculously, the rubble had mostly avoided them, but he isn't putting much faith in the dilapidated building. Whatever is preventing it from coming down on top of them could give out at any time with even the slightest provocation.

They need a way out and they need it _fast_.

He shines his flashlight up at the ceiling and sees that one beam is holding it all aloft.

"Dear God," he quietly prays, "please don't let that fall on us."

As worried as he is, he focuses on his job, assisting Roy in administering what unadvised aid they can to the original victims as well as Johnny.

He's not sure how much time passes before they hear a low rumble. Immediately, he and Roy exchange knowing glances.

So this is it then…

Regardless of the fear setting in, Roy throws himself over the children and Cap does the same for Johnny, just as everything comes down and their world goes dark…


	2. Despair

Chapter Two: Despair

"Chet! Marco! Get back!" shouts Mike from his place at the engine. "The building's shifting again! It's gonna go!"

Chet turns to look at the engineer. Wide-eyed, he exclaims, "But the guys! They're still in there!"

"Come on, Chet…" Marco urges, pulling the curly-haired fireman away even as his own stare is locked on the building. "There's nothing we can do..."

'_There's nothing we can do…_' Mike's own thoughts repeat, the words echoing in his mind as he watches the two-story building collapse. '_They're…_'

He hangs his head, partially in disbelief and partially in despair. Not but a few moments pass before he feels a hand clasp his shoulder, and he looks up to see the almost pained expression of Chief McConnike.

"You boys did everything you could…" the chief says, swallowing hard before he can speak again. "Another unit just arrived… to begin the search..."

Mike knows what that means. He can take a break. In truth, he _wants_ to step back. To get away from the rubble.… But he knows he can't abandon them. He'd never live with himself.

Looking up, a defiant gleam in his eyes, he shakes his head—his gaze locked on what is left of the building.

"I'll go tell the guys. We'll get geared up."

"Son… There's probably no way that they… The whole building… They won't be in good shape, even if we _do_ find them today…"

"No. We're _going_ to find them, Chief," Stoker responds before approaching his two crewmates. "Chet. Marco. McConnike says that another station showed up to help with the search."

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go," Marco says adamantly.

Chet nods slowly. "Yeah... We gotta start lookin'... And maybe..."

"Chet, McConnike says the chances aren't good that..." Mike hesitates not wanting to give voice to the thought. He sighs and starts again. "Just don't get your hopes up..."

"I know... It's just..." the usually humorous lineman trails off, shoulders slumping.

"Yeah, I know..." Mike agrees then looks toward the rubble once more. "Well… let's get to work..."

With that, they gear up, putting on their SCBAs and going with the search team, into the wreckage that was only moments ago a building.

Hours pass and other than a few five minute breaks to rehydrate or replace a cylinder, they keep searching. Each time a new section is uncovered, they silently pray that this section is the one, but each time they find nothing more than debris.

After working close together for some time, with no sign of their missing crew, they split up and hope that one of them would be the first to spot anything that might help.

And it is not long at all until their change of tactic brings results.

"Hey, I found somethin'!" Chet shouts.

Stoker is the first to react, rushing over to his crewmate as Chet lifts a partial beam.

"What is it, Chet?!"

"This," he answers, pointing down to the floor.

Directing his gaze downward, Stoker gasps. He knows that the chances are slim but he dares to hope because if anyone could…

"Chet. Get Marco and Chief McConnike."

"Got it!"


	3. Doors

Chapter Three: Doors

They immediately set to work trying to completely uncover what Chet had discovered, and a door begins to reveal itself.

Although, perhaps 'door' is a little misleading. It's really more like a hatch as it's in the floor.

It is not long, however, before it _is_ cleared.

"I'll go down first," volunteers the tall engineer before anyone else has a chance.

"And I will too if you need help," Chet quickly adds.

"Now boys," begins another captain—not Cap—as he steps over to them. "Know that this may still be a loss. It looks like this section had a major collapse, too. There's not even a guarantee that they're down there at all…"

"We gotta know, though," the curly-haired Irishman replies with a frown.

Not a moment later, Chet lifts the hatch and Mike descends into the darkness, quickly reaching the floor of the basement and stepping away from the ladder. Holding his breath, Mike reaches for his flashlight, pulls it out, and turns it on.

"Wouldya get that light outta my eyes, Mike!" exclaims a voice that he thought he might never hear again.

"Cap!" Mike yells before looking back up the ladder. "They're down here!"

He then rushes over to the group who—against all odds—had remained relatively unscathed even in the second collapse.

"Johnny's been in and out of consciousness, but I think he'll be alright," Roy volunteers. "The two kids are mostly okay, minor injuries. Cap says he's okay. I think my shoulder's broken."

"Well, let's get you guys outta here then," smiles Stoker.

After getting the two children, Johnny, and Roy to the ground level, Stoker comes back down to find his captain at the ladder, staring into the room.

"Cap, you ready?"

"Mike. Look at that beam."

"Which one?"

"The one above where we were when you found us…"

He looks and, while something seems odd, he doesn't understand what has so amazed his captain.

"What about it?"

At last turning his stare from the beam to his engineer, he speaks.

"What's holding it up?"

Doing a double take, Mike realizes that Cap is right; nothing supports the beam, but the beam supports the full weight of the ceiling…

"I…"

Smiling with just the merest hint of tears in his eyes, the captain turns.

"Let's get out of here, Mike."

Stoker nods, tearing his eyes away from the beam and then climbing up the ladder after Cap.

It is not until both he and Cap are out and away that the third shift happens, that section of the building collapsing into the basement level that had just been evacuated.

"Cap… That beam… How did…?"

"There, but for the grace of God, go I…" is the only reply the young man receives.

_**Fin.**_


End file.
